The city of Litchfield Park announced Tuesday evening, June 23 its Recreation Center and Pool, 100 N. Old Litchfield Road, has been closed indefinitely for deep cleaning and disinfecting after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

“The city of Litchfield Park was notified this morning that a staff member at the Litchfield Park Recreation Center tested positive for COVID-19. The employee that tested positive last worked at the Recreation Center on June 17, 2020,” according to a news release. “To protect the individual’s privacy regarding health information, the employee’s name and position is not being released.”

Employees who had close contact with the individual have been identified and notified, the release stated, and the city was working to provide proper notification to others who may have come into contact with the employee.

Staff who were in contact with the employee are self-quarantining at home, City Manager Bill Stephens stated in an email.

“Litchfield Park’s top priority is the health and safety of our citizens and employees,” Assistant City Manager/Community & Recreation Services Director Matthew Williams stated.  

In an effort to mitigate the spread, and in response to Arizona’s rising number of COVID-19 cases, the facility will be closed until further notice, the release stated.

Litchfield Park opened the facility and its other public buildings on June 1, announcing that Recreation Center and Pool staff would wear masks and gloves, though masks would not be allowed in the pool itself. Pool capacity was limited to 50 people, green Xs been placed six feet apart underneath pool furniture to encourage social distancing and tables be reserved for family use only. Employees and patrons were asked to stay home if experiencing cough, shortness of breath, chills and shaking, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, loss of taste and smell.

It was unclear Tuesday how the closure will affect the city's scheduled Fourth of July Open Swim scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 4.

For more information on the closure, residents may call City Hall at 623-935-5033. Updates will be posted to the city’s website, litchfield-park.org, and Facebook page, @CityofLitchfieldPark, as additional information becomes available, the release stated.